Mechanism for the manufacture of



July 10, 1951 F. STOLLE ETAL 2,560,311

MECHANISM FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC SHAPE-KNITTED ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 7, 1947 July 10, 1951 F. STOLLE El'AL 2,569,311

MECHANISM FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC SHAPE-KNITTED ARTICLES Filed Aug. 7, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 2 1122161213025 .27 5&6 [2Z6 fStoZZe y y 1951 F STOLLE ElAL 2,560,313

MECHANISM FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC SHAPE-KNITTED ARTICLES Filed Aug. 7, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 fatent'cl July 10, 1951 F I CE MECHANISM FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF ELASTIC SHAPE-KNITTED ARTICLES Frantisek Stolle and Herman Stolle, Varnsdorf,

Czechoslovakia, assignors of one-third to Antonin Pejsek, Prague, Czechoslovakia Application August 7, 1947, Serial No. 767,143

In Germany June 7, 1944 7 Claims. (CI. 66-84) This invention concerns means by'which an elastic rubber weft thread can be laid and knitted into one and the same article in a warp knitting machine having two movable needle bars (Ras chel machine) while temporarily more or less extended (i. e. stretched to a greater or less extent).

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1a to show the positions of a warp knitting machine thread guide during the laying of the elastic weft thread.

Figures 2a and 2b are longitudinal sections through a holder device for the weft thread in two different positions, on an enlarged scale,

Figure 2c is a plan view of the holder device. Figures 3a and 3b show an elevation of an electric control mechanism for the holder device (the individual parts being in two different positions).

Referring to the drawings, the holder device (Figs. 2a, 2b, 20) consists essentially of a small thread guide tube F on a frame HG, which is fastened to the thread guide rail Sch of the warp knitting machine; of a slide Hs; an electric mag-' net EM and an armature Ei, H1 and H2. The entire holder device is marked H22 and operates as follows: 7

Coming from a bobbin, the endless covered rubber weft thread GS (Figures 1a to 10) runs in its normal, unstretched condition to the holder device Ho, passes through the thread guide F of the holder H'& which, is moved forwards and backwards lengthwise of the needle bars from the point a: to the point z (Figures 1a to 10) and vice versa, from the point z to the point x. During the motion of the holder device Hi) from a: to 'J in the one direction, or from 2 to y in the other direction, the elasticrubber weft thread is allowed to slide through the holder device freely in an unextended condition (Figure 2a). At the point 3 the rubber thread GS is suddenly gripped by the holder device Hv (Figure 2b) in the manner hereinafter described and held fast, so that as the movement of the holder device Hv continues from the point 11/ to the point z, or from the point y to the point :0, the rubber weft thread GS is stretched to a larger or smaller extent, being held in position in such extended condition until after the weft thread has been secured in place between the warp-knitting courses, when the to and fro motion of the holder device starts anew. The degree of extension of the rubber, weft thread depends upon the distance of the point :11 from the starting point of the movement of the holder device Hv, i. e. during motion from left to right from the point ac and during motion from right to left from the point z, e. g. in Figure 1a the holder device Ho withthe thread guide F is moved from the point :0 past the point 1/ to the point z (from left to right), stretching the rubber thread to a considerable extent, whereas e. g; in Figure 1b the motion is from the point a past the point y to a: (from right to left), leaving the rubber weft thread less extended than in Figure 1a. Finally, in Figure 1c, the motion for instance is again fromthe point a: past y to z (from left to right), so that the ruber Weft thread remains almost in its normal condition,

The varying distances from the point :11 to the point a on the one hand, or from the point 2 on the other hand, as well as the gripping and releasing of the rubber thread in the holder device Hv, are controlled automatically and positively during the manufacture of the articles on the warp knitting machines, and it is thereby possible to fashion the article being knitted by the alternately reduced or increased extension of the rubber weft thread.

The holder device Ho with thread guide F- feeding the twin-pole electromagnet EM is interrupted, so thatthe latter is instantaneously de-energised. At this moment, a spring Fe in' tension displaces to the right the slide Hs, Which is located in a guide groove, until a stop plate An on the slide I-Is strikes against a fixed abutment plate D2 which extends over the support rail. During this displacement of the slide Hs, a nose N thereon, which engages the part Hz of the armature, withdraws the armature pole Ei a short distance from the magnet poles, the said armature pole being fixed to the parts H1, H2 of the armature, the former of which comprises two lever arms pivoted on the frame HG, whereby the hole L2 in the slide Hs comes into position between a hole L1 in the top plate D1 and a hole 1c in the main frame HG, so that these three holes coincide with with one another, thereby forming, together with the tubular thread guide F fixed to the main frame HG, a straight smooth canal through which the elastice rubber thread 7 GS may slide freely'from the starting point x or 3 z in a normal, unstretched condition while the holder device H is in motion.

The moment, however, that the holder device H12, during its to and fro motion, reaches the point 'J, the electric circuit is closed again through the control mechanism (Figures 3a and 3b.) By this action, the armature of the electro- 1 magnet is attracted, thereby displacing the slide ES to the left whereby the two edges of the hole L2 in the slide Hs press the rubber weft thread against the lower edge of the hole L1 in the top plate D1 and against the upper.v edge of the hole L3 in the main frame HG and clamp it fast. During the remainder of the movement of the holder device Hv from the point y to the point z or from y to :1: (Figures 1a, 1b, 1c) the rubber weft thread GS led by the thread guide F will be stretched more or less, depending upon the position of the point y) while at the end points (a: or 2) it will be held in position for. a sufiicient period to allow it to be incorporated in the fabric where.- upon the motion of the holder device Ho starts anew. The driving of the control mechanism (Figure 3) and the method of operation thereof are asv follows:

From the main shaft Hw of the warp knitting machine, a cam E331 is driven by means of a connecting rod Zs, a pawl K1 and a ratchet wheel Kr, a worm S and a worm wheel S1 (change wheel), the said cam, through levers H1, H2 and connecting rods St1, St2, causing two switch devices SA1, SA2 to be movedslowly upon a slide bar G51, either towards or away from one another, whereby the point y in Figures 1a to is shifted. Each switch device SA1, SA2 comprises a bar T which is slidable on the bar G81 and has a contact button K02 fixed on theouter end thereof, and a contact bar Ks, slidable lengthwise of the bar T and provided with a contact button'Kmfor cooperation with the button K0 During each, revolution of the main shaft Hw of the warp knitting machine, the ratchet wheel K1 is moved on only exactly by one tooth, so that with the aid of the exchangeable worm wheel Sr the time of rotation of the cam Em, is adjusted exactly to thelsha'peof the articlebeing manufactured.

Directly above the two switch devices; SA SA2, on another slide bar G82, a slide block G1, with two switch plates Sb is, moved to and fro through a certain distance C-1D, the said plates 1 being adapted to engage on either side of the respective contact bars Ks and to grip them frictionally during the to and fro motion of the block G1. Since the to and fro motion of the switch plates Sb has to coincide with the motion of the thread guide rail Sch with the attached holder device I-Iv operated by the lever H3 and the cam Ex2 driven bythe main shaft of the knitting machine, the slide block G1 is movedby the same lever lb that controls the motion of the thread guide rail Sch1, through a lever H4, connecting rods Sta, St; and slide block G1. During the to and fro motion of the switch plates ,Sb the following action takesplace:

Forexample, during the motion of the slide. block G1 from C to D, after. travelling through a part of the distance between Cv and D, the switch plates Sb frictionally engage the, contact barKs of the switchdeviceSAz, thereby displacing this contact bar a short distance tothe right. so as. to cause the contact button K01 of the said contact bar to touchthe vcontactbutton K 2 on the. switch device SA2. Instantaneously, an electric. circuit is closed through the winding of the mag net EM, the holder device being at the point y,

in Figures 1a and 1c, and the rubber thread is clamped fast by the holder device 1-10 (see Figure 2b). As the slide block G1 continues to move through the remaining part of the distance from C to D, the switch plates Sb slide on the contact bar Ks for a shorter or, longer period, depending on the position of the switch deviceSAz, until the slide block reaches the point D. After the button K01 has come into contact with the button K02, the electric circuit through the winding of the magnet EM remains closed until the slide block G1 commences its return movement from D to C. At the beginning of this return movement, the switch plates Sb push the contact bar Ks of the switch device SA2 back to its initial position, thereby moving the contact button K01 away from the contact button K02. By the separation of the contact buttons K01 and K02, the electric circuit through the winding of the magnet EM is interrupted, causing the holder device Hv immediately to release the clamped rubber thread (Figure 2a).

During the further travel of the; slide block G1 from D. to C, the switch plates Sb slide along and 01f the contact bar Ks of the switch device SA2 and then engage the contactbar Ks of the switch device SA1, moving it to the left until the contact button K01 of the said contact bar touches the contact button K02 of the switchdevice SA1, thereby closing the circuit through the winding of the magnetENl and causin the rubber thread to be clamped by the holder device Hv at the point 11 in Figure lb. The switch plates Sb then slide along the contact bar. Ks of the switch device SA1 while the slide block G1 moves to they point C, the magnet winding remaining energised and the rubber thread being clamped by the holder device H11, until the switchplates Sb move the. contactbar Ks back to. its initial position during the initial movement of the slide block G from C to D, and, interrupt the circuit through the magnet winding by separating. the contact buttons K01, and K02 ofthe switch device SA1, the slide bar G1 moves further towards D, the Switch platesSbslide along, and off. the

contact bar, K; of. the switch device SA1, to engageagain the contact bar, Ks of the switch device SA2, whereupon the cycle of operations, is repeated.

In Figure 3a, the two switch devices. SA SA2 areseparated wide apart by the cam, Ex ,,so that the switch'plates Sb, during their to and fro.

motion through the distance Cto D, engage, the

contact bars Ks after travellin some distance,. thereby causing the,but,tons K0 K02 to come intocontact, ratherlatc, Thusthe gripping of the rubber threadin the holder device H12 (viz. the point y in Figurelc) takes place rather late.

Figure 3b shows. the two switch devices, SA SA2 displaced very close to oneanother. by the cam E921, so thatthe switchplates Sbduringtheir to and fro motionth rough the distance C to D will cause the circuit. to be. closed through they Thus, the.

contact buttons K0 K02 sooner. gripping ofthe rubber. thread by the holder device Ho (viz; the point yin Figure 1a ),takes. place sooner.

Themovement apart and towards one another of the switch devices SA 1, SA2 is a slow. process,

corresponding ,to, the, curve of the cam Em,

whereby the displacementof ,the, point y (Figures late 11;) isagradual one and so, is the. change in the clamping point 1/ oftherubber thread in the h lder, device.

In the manufactureon warp ,knitting'machines of the articles hereinbefore mentioned, a plurality of holder devices Ho operate simultaneous- 1y, all of which may be fixed to one thread guide rail by means of which they are moved through a certain distance ..'1:2, or they may be subdivided and fixed to separate thread guide rails, one of which moves the holder devices Hi; to and fro over a longer section, and the other over a shorter section a: tea simultaneously, each holder device being adapted, at the right moment, and at the right time, to grip, and subsequently release an elastic rubber weft thread. The holder device I-Iv (Figure 2) described, together with the control mechanism therefor (Figure 3). is therefore of great advantage, since by using an elec- .tric current and simply switching it on and off, the holder devices can be brought into action to serve. the same purpose simultaneously with perfect accuracy and exactly at the moment desired, regardless of thelength of the distance at to 2 to be covered by the holder devices or the time when the mutual to and fro motion of all the holder devices sets in.

We claim:

1. In a warp knittingim'achine having a driving shaft and two movable needle bars arranged for operation by said driving shaft, means for inserting an elastic weftthread under variable tension in the courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof on the machine, and comprising in combination, a thread guide arranged for reciprocation lengthwise of said needlebars and having driving means connected to saidv driving shaft for effecting said reciprocation, a gripping device arranged to co-operate with said thread guide for holding and arresting the weft thread, actuating means for said gripping device, and control means arranged for operation by said driving shaft of the knitting machine and adapted to co-operate with said actuating means for actuating the gripping device to hold and arrest the elastic weft thread at an intermediate point in the travel of the thread guide and subsequently release the thread guide after it has been incorporated in the knitted fabric, said control means having adjusting means for varying the point in the travel of the thread guide at which the said actuating means operates the gripping device to arrest the weft thread.

2. In a warp knitting machine, means for inserting an elastic weft thread in the courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof on the machine, comprising the combination as set forth in claim 1, in which the actuating means for the gripping device comprise spring means connected to the gripping device so as to urge the gripping device into its inoperative position to release the weft thread, an electromagnet having an energising winding and an armature in driving relationship with the gripping device and arranged to move the gripping device into its operative position to arrest the weft thread on the magnet winding being energised, and said control means includes switching means arranged to connect said Winding to a source of electric current to energise the winding.

3. In a warp knitting machine, means for inserting an elastic weft thread in the courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof on the machine, comprising the combination as set forth in claim 1, in which the thread guide comprises a guide tube through which the elastic weft thread is freely slidable and the gripping device comprises a slide having an aperture therein adapted to allow the elastic weft thread to pass freely through it,.f ai,d slide being arranged for recipe sion in the courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof on the machine, and comprising in com-. bination, a thread guide arranged for reciprocation lengthwise of said needle bars and having driving means connected to said driving shaft for effecting said reciprocation, a gripping device arranged to co-operate with said. thread guide for holding and arresting the weft thread, spring means connected to said gripping device to urge the same into its inoperative positionto, allow the weft thread to pass freely through the thread guide, an electromagnet having an energizing winding and an armature arranged in driving relationship with the'gripping device for moving the gripping device into its operative position for arresting the weft thread, on the magnet winding being energized, a pair of switch devices arranged for displacement ina line towards and away from one another, each of said switch devices having a fixed contact thereon and a movable contact bar slidablethereon in the direction of displacement of the; switch devices, a switch contact on each contact bar arranged to cooperate with the fixed contact of the respective switch device for connecting the magnet winding to a source of electric current, adjusting means connected to said switch devices and including instrumentalities connected to the driving shaft of the machine for effecting a step-by-step displacement of the switch devices during the successive to and fro movements of the thread guide, so as to vary the distance between the switch devices, an actuating member for said contact bars arranged for reciprocation by said driving shaft and adapted to engage and displace the contact bar of one switch device during a portion of the travel of the actuating member in one direction to bring the switch contact on said bar into operative relationship with the co-operating fixed switch contact, and to engage and displace the contact bar of the other switch device during a portion of the travel of the actuating member in the opposite direction to bring the switch contact of said bar into operative relationship with the co-operating fixed contact.

5. In a warp knitting machine, means for inserting an elastic weft thread in the courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof on the machine, comprising the combination as set forth in claim 4, in which the actuating member for the contact bars comprises a pair of switch plates arranged to engage the contact bars frictionally for moving the switch contacts thereon into operative relationship with the fixed contacts of the respective switch devices, and adapted subsequently to slide relatively to the contact bars.

6. In a warp knitting machine, means for inserting an elastic weft thread in the courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof on the machine, comprising the combination as set forth in claim 1, in which the actuating meansfor the gripping device include an electro-magnet having an energizing winding and an armature in driving connection with the gripping device for actuating it -toarrestthe weft thread; and" the controlmeansfor. said actuating means comprise a'pair of switch devices for' connecting the magnet winding to a source-of electriccurrent arranged for displacement towards-and; away from eachother to vary the distance between them, each of said switch devices having a movable switch member; and a-switch-actuating member arranged for reciprocation by the driving shaft of'the knitting machine so as to be capable of actuating said movable switch members alternatelyafter travellingthrough a predetermined distance on either side ofits-mean position; and in which the adjusting means for varying the point in the travel of the thread g-uideatwhich the weft thread is: arrested incfu'de lever mechanismconnected to said switch devices for-varying thedistance: apart thereof.

7; Inawarp knitting machine, means for inserting an elasticweft thread inthe-coursesof a fabric during the knitting thereof on the machine, comprising the-combination as set" forth in claim: 1', in which the-actuating means for the gripping device include an electromagnethaving an energizing winding and an armature in driving connection Withthe gripping device for actuating it to arrest the-weft thread, and the control means-forsaid 'actuating means comprise a pair of' switchdevices for connecting the magnetwinding' to a source of electric current ar- 50 ranged for displacement" towards and away from one another to:- varythe distance between them, eachof 'saiclswitch devices having a movable switch member, and: a switch-actuating member arranged for reciprocation by the driving shaft of the knitting machine so as. to be capablevof actuating said movable switch members alternatelyafter travelling through a predetermined distanceon either side of its mean position, and inwhich the adjusting means for varying the pointin the travel of: the threadguide at which the weft-thread is arrested include a fashioning cam,:actuating' means connected to said cam and to the driving shaft of the machine for efiecting a step-by-step" rotation ofthe'cam during the successive to and fro movementsxof the thread guide, a lever member arranged to: co-operate with said fashioning cam, andlever arms connected to said; lever member and to the switch devices, and arranged to displacethe switch devices simultaneously irr opposite directions in accordance with: the-movements-of' the lever member cooperating with the fashioning cam.

FRANTISEIQ STOLLE. HERMAN STOLLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references-are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS,

Number Country Date 485,872 Great Britain May 26, 1938 496,043 Germany- Apr. 12, 1930 602,470 France Dec. 23., 1925 

